Social relationships, especially our inner circle, are an important protective factor against disease.
Last update: 03 March, 2022
Human beings are social animals. All the progress achieved by humanity is due to social relations: culture, civilization, knowledge ... They are a necessity of undisputed importance even at a lower level.
Social relationships shape our personality and are a means of fulfilling our personal goals. They respond to a primary need: we need physical contact, intimacy and belonging to the group to feel calm and safe.
Social support is one of the most important protective factors that exist against any type of disease. On the contrary, the lack of relationships and isolation are closely linked to numerous mental disorders or illnesses. Therefore, connecting with others is essential to our development and is good for the brain. So much so that it is able to delay or reduce the onset of cognitive impairment. Let's see how.
Cognitive reserve
The brain is plastic: is able to change to function better and adapt to new situations, such as brain damage. Closely related to neuroplasticity is the concept of cognitive reserve.
Cognitive reserve is the ability of the brain to tolerate or delay the appearance of pathological symptoms derived from age or from certain pathologies like Alzheimer's. This means that if we have a greater cognitive reserve, these symptoms will appear later or more gradually.
Habits such as engaging in stimulating activities or interests, mastering two or more languages, acquiring new knowledge, playing a sport or having fun in your free time, help keep our brains active. All of these activities have been shown to improve our cognitive reserve capacity.
Social relationships and benefits
The fact of interacting with other people, of having an active network of friends has been related to numerous aspects of health. A lower rate of depression and disease frequency, a better immune response and a lower risk of heart attack were noted among the most socially active people.
Entering into a relationship with others also enriches us from a cognitive point of view. Not to mention that a rich social life brings a number of challenges to our brains. The simple fact of talking, forces us to pay attention to the words of the interlocutor and to remember relevant information.
To enter into a relationship sometimes means to enter into conflict. This improves our ability to solve problems. Planning, setting common goals or anticipating the other's reaction gives us the opportunity to improve executive functions.
"Good friends are good for your health."
-Irwin Sarason-
A protection for the brain
On the one hand, social relationships contribute to increasing our cognitive reserve. This mechanism has been demonstrated in numerous studies. For example, Bennet and collaborators found that the world of social networks modulates the relationship between Alzheimer's disease and cognitive performance. That is, it has been seen that land people with Alzheimer's but with more contacts showed less cognitive impairment.
On the other hand, social relationships bring benefits that indirectly protect the brain. Stress, for example, is a deadly weapon for the body and mind. Relationships restore, bring different points of view, offer emotional support and the ability to make plans. They are a valuable source of valuable tools to counteract stress. Who hasn't experienced a feeling of well-being after an evening with friends?
The quantity and quality of relationships are linked to a lower level of depression. Depression, in turn, has been associated with worsening cognitive performance and the risk of dementia.
Finally, friends help us maintain a more active and healthy lifestyle. According to research, when we interact with others, we tend to adapt to social rules and get involved in healthier activities. As can be guessed, a healthy lifestyle affects brain health and our cognitive abilities.
